Improvement in bridles



M. R. THURBER.

Bridle.

No. 221,197. Patented Nov. 4,1879.

MFETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPNER. wASHsNGTON. D. C4 -f UNTTED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

MILTON It. THURBER, OF SORANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTH OF HIS RIGHT TO W. I. BEOKWITEI, OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT iN BRIDLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 221,197, dated November 4, 1879; application filed August 28, 1879.

To all whom 'it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MILTON R. THURBER, of Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bridles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, referenee being` had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciticaton, in which- Figure l is a perspective View;` Fig. 2, a top View; Fig. 3, a detail View, showing the manner of connecting the winker-braees to the brow-band, and Fig. 4, a plan View ofthe check-rein attachment.

Similar letters of referenceindicate the same parts in the several figures.

This invention has for its object to improve the construction of bridles, and more particularly that class known as blind-bridles and it consists, first, in means for adjusting the winkers or blinders and holding them properly in an adjusted position; and, secondly, in an attachment for the check-rein, whereby the connection with the saddle-hook is rendered more secure.

In the drawings I have shown a bridle similar in construction to those in common use, except in respect to the improvements just mentioned, and which I will now proceed to I describe.

The ordinary means for holding the winkers or blinders in place consists of a bifurcated strap fastened to the crown-piece, and connected at its lower ends to the upper corners ofthe winkers.

It is found that, from the exibility of the lower portions of the straps, the winkers soon fail to be held properly7 in place, but flap back and forth or stand off from the head of the animal, making it uncomfortable for the latter, and also destroying the fit and symmetry of the bridle. Attempts have. been made to remedy this defect by stiffening the straps or braces by means of internal stiffening-piecesj but, so far as I am aware, such arrangement, from its expensiveness and the difficulty of its being properly adjusted to the heads of different horses, has not gone intogeneral use.

The construction employed by me, and which rectly applied to the hook.

constitutes the first partof the present invention, consists of two straps, A A, which pass down on either side of the forehead of the animal and through openin gs formed in the browband B, being connected at their lower eX- tremities to the upper corners of the winkcrs in the usual manner.l

The straps are securely held in position in.

the openings in the brow-band by means of staples or loops b b, applied so as to enter the straps on each side of the brow-band, and bridge over thebodyof the latter. Theupper ends of the straps are adapted to engage with adjusting-buckles O O, secured to the crownpiece D, as shown.

By this arrangement the winkersrare properly braced and held easily in place at the proper distance from the animal, andall tendency to flap and stand out is overcome, and the stiffness attending the use of stitfeners avoided. The adjustment afforded by the buckles O O renders the bridle capable of being adjusted'to the heads of different animals, and yet maintain the winkers in proper position.

The second part of my invention relates to means for attaching the check-rein to the saddle-hook, and consists in the employment ofa short leather strap or piece, S, having an aperture, s, near one end, adapting it to be litted onto the h'ook, and provided at the other end with a buckle, T, into which the bight R of the check-rein passes, and is secured by the tongue t in the manner shown in Fig. 4. The aperture in the strap S is made to accommodate the hook snugly, thus rendering it difficult for the check-rein to become displaced, as is often the case when' the check-rein is di- The check-rein, in its attachment to the buckle in the manner shown, is not at all weakened, inasmuch as it is not perforated for the passage of the tongue t, as in the ordinary connection of a strap with a buckle; but the bight of the rein is passed through the loop and over the tongue, thus making a strong and secure fastening without impairing the strength of the rein. v-

Having thus described my invention, I clain as newl. The wiukcr braces or straps, in combinaings for the passage of the winker-strups, the

fastenin 0 10o is or stu )les for securing` the said e l I ,Y

wnker-straps to the brow-bund, und the ad- Justlng-buekiesG C, subsmntizdlyas descrlbed.

3. The combination, with the check-rein, of the short strap S, having the perforation s at one end for the reception of the saddle-hook and the buckle T et the other end for securing the bight ofthe check-rein, iu the manner described, and for the purpose specified.

MILTON R'. TH URBER.

Witnesses:

C. E. GHITTENDEN, PETER WALSH. 

